The history of Viña Salceda stretches back over little more than thirty years, as it began in 1969. However, the specific aim of creating it more than justified its coming into being: to prepare quality red wines exclusively. The Rivas family, traditional vineyard owners in Rioja Alavesa, together with friends and local winegrowers, undertook this new project, which initiated with the now mythical 1970 harvest.
The present-day version of the bodega was finished in 1974 and is located in Elciego, on the banks of the river Ebro in a privileged are of La Rioja Alavesa, with a perfect microclimate for cultivating vines. Its more than 40 hectares with its own vineyards plus the hundred or so controlled hectares, situated in the heart of La Rioja Alta and La Rioja Alavesa, produce the best fruits. In the argillaceous, limey soils, plantations of the Tempranillo, Mazuelo and Graciano varieties are combined. Low production and the age of the vineyards guarantee excellent quality in the raw material.
Viña Salceda has an ultra-modern wine-preparation facility with a capacity for up to one million kilos of grapes per season, which enables it to satisfy its own needs and therefore fully control the quality of its products. This facility, equipped with 16 self-emptying stainless steel tanks and lining for the control of the fermentation temperature, is supplemented by two vertical Rioja-style presses, which at the expense of the grape/wine yield, produce a standard of quality that is in tune with Viña Salceda requirements.
Following the fermentation processes, all the grapes are transferred to the ageing facilities, where they undergo the traditional ageing process, which takes place in natural humidity and temperature conditions that guarantee correct evolution of the wines, stored in 8,000 225-litre American and French oak barrels, which are renewed periodically to lend the wines the best of their noble origin.
Thus, the wines selected for Viña Salceda Crianza and Reserva remain in the barrel for 18 to 36 months, during which time their natural features are perfected, interrupted only by the half-yearly free-running tasks.
Viña Salceda Reserve
A careful selection of the best traditional Tempranillo grapes from the region are complemented by Mazuelo and Graciano, which gives the wine better structure and more ageing ability. There is a traditional vinification with long maceration.
Ageing in American oak with a proportion of new barrels complements the original virtues of this Reserva wine, while maintaining its qualities. Its further ageing in bottle improves the wine and develops its finesse on the palate while ensuring that it arrives on the market ready for drinking.
This limited production wine has been made with care in the traditional way so as to keep intact all this natural qualities. As a result a natural deposit may form at the bottom of the bottle. In this case please decant the bottle before serving, what will help to fully enjoy this great wine.
